Munchkin

Munchkin Cat for Sale: A Dwarf Everyone Wants

Cat genetics frequently seems to favor owners seeking a unique pet. You can see anything in a cat, from curly fur to folded ears. Here we cover the Munchkin Cat, the charming dwarf feline from Louisiana. Even though most registries shun the breed, Munchkin Cats have defied many predictions and make wonderful pets.

Overview of Munchkin Cat for Sale

Like Scottish Folds, Munchkins are a result of a spontaneous mutation. They suffer from a form of dwarfism or pseudoachondroplasia, whereby their limbs are shortened but their heads are proportionate in size to their bodies.

History

Present-day Munchkin cats are believed to have wholly descended from a Lousiana-native female short-legged feline, Blackberry, and one of her sons in the early 1980s. However, there have been several other instances where the dwarf trait popped up. In 1944 there was a group of short-legged cats in Britain, but they disappeared after four generations. They had also appeared in the US in the mid-1970s before the renowned foundational litter. Short-legged cats were spotted in Russia as early as the 1950s.

Munchkin Cat for Sale Registries

Munchkin cats were not presented to the public until 1991. It was still later, in 1994, before The International Cat Association formally recognized the breed. It reached championship status in 2003. As of 2020, only TICA and the South Africa Cat Council will accept the Munchkin Cat, and the World Cat Association has admitted it. Most registries cite serious health concerns and unethical breeding practices associated with propagating genetic deformities. So far, many worrisome medical fears have not come to be. As of yet, it is difficult to make definitive conclusions about such a new breed. Fédération Internationale Féline FIFe bans the Munchkin cat outright.

Appearance

A Munchkin Cat has a head that approximates a wedge with a slight stop. The head should be in balance with the body with almond-shaped eyes and medium-sized ears that are broad at the based and rounded at the tips. Your Munchkin’s muzzle should be medium in length. Your cat’s body should appear elongated rather than compact with a rounded chest and strong hindquarters. Since the hind legs are often slightly longer than the forelimbs, the Munchkin has a slight upward slope of the topline from the shoulders to the rump. The tail is moderately thick and tapers slightly to the tip. It should be the same length as the cat’s body. Munchkins have shortened legs (Standard Munchkin Cat), or their limbs are of normal length (Non-Standard Munchkin Cat). The bones in the front and hind legs are 55% to 75% shorter than the corresponding bones in cats with normal limbs. This correlates with a leg that is three inches shorter than normal. The bones are also thicker and have a larger diameter. Only Standard Munchkins can show. Some fanciers breed Non-Standard and Standard Munchkins to increase their litter sizes. Outcrosses with cats that do not belong to another registry are also permissible to increase the gene pool. Munchkin Cats have a distinct appearance and should not take on the look of any outcrosses.

Coat and Colors

A Munchkin Cat for sale can be either short-haired or long-haired. Both types of coats are weather-resistant and have underfur of moderate density. The former has a short, plush coat while the latter has long, silky fur. A long-haired Munchkin is sometimes referred to as a Minuet. The Minuet is a cross between a Persian or Himalayan and a Munchkin. Any color is acceptable for a Munchkin Cat. This breed’s eye color is independent of its coat color. The following is just the tip of the iceberg for coat colors you might see in Munchkin kittens for sale.

• Tabby – classic, spotted, mackerel, patched; orange, gray, silver
• Solid – black, chocolate, lavender, white, blue, red, cream, lilac
• Bi-color – white and any color
• Van – white with color on head and tail
• Pointed – white or cream with color on the face, ears, feet, and tail (red, orange, lilac, blue, lavender, seal, chocolate)
• Tipped – shaded (mantle tipping along flanks and back), smoke (heavy tipping), cameo (red tipping), Shell or chinchilla (light tipping) – any color except cameo (cameo is red, dilute cameo is cream)

Genetics

Shortened legs are the result of a dominant gene. All Standard Munchkins are heterozygous, meaning they carry both a short-legged and a normal leg length gene. Munchkins that have two short-legged genes do not survive past the embryonic stage as the gene combination is lethal. If you breed two Standard Munchkins, 25% of their offspring will die before birth, 25% will have shortened legs, and 50% will be normal. Considering only live births, litter sizes will be 25% smaller than those from a Standard Munchin outcrossed or mated with a Non-Standard. About 33% will have short legs, and 67% will have normal legs. Breeding a Standard Munchkin with a Non-Standard Munchkin will result in about 50:50 of short-legged cats:normal-legged cats with no embryonic deaths.

Personality

Munchkin cats have high energy levels. They are quick and agile but lack the jumping capacity of cats with normal legs. Munchkins are smart, affectionate, playful, extroverted, curious, and social. They get along well with other cats as well as dogs and children. They have the same well-developed prey drive as other cats to pursue small animals like rodents, birds, and possibly rabbits. Munchkins are purported to have a unique fascination with small, shiny objects.

Munchkin Kittens for Sale Near Me

You might struggle to find a local litter of Munchkin kittens for sale because they are uncommon. As you learned, not all kittens in a Munchkin litter have short legs. Moreover, the breed is quite new. Finding a reputable breeder can also be challenging. Try to find sellers who outcross their Munchkins or refrain from breeding two Standards together. Ask to see the parents. Like any other kitten, Munchkins should be active, bright, and alert with no coughing or sneezing. Avoid litters where one or all of the kittens look thin, have runny eyes, or show evidence of diarrhea. Kittens should have health certificates and their first series of vaccinations.

Lifespan

Munchkins typically live 12 to 14 years.

Teacup Munchkin Kittens for Sale

Sometimes Munchkins are called teacup cats. However, a teacup cat is technically a cat that has a uniform miniaturization that does not just affect the legs. A teacup cat’s head is in proportion to the size of its body. The animal is about a third of the size of a typical cat. Some breeders obtain teacups in their litter by selecting smaller-sized cats over several generations. Others benefit from a random mutation that causes primordial dwarfism. Primordial dwarfs are prone to a host of health problems.

• Seizures
• Blindness
• Misshapen, brittle, or soft bones
• Stunted growth not only of the skeleton but also muscles and other organs – kidney failure, soft spot on the skull, muscle weakness
• Bowed legs and jaw deformities
• Shorter lifespan – 7 to 10 years

You must be even more vigilant than usual with your research if you choose to get a teacup Munchkin. A breeder can make the difference between a reasonably healthy cat and one fraught with a lifetime of suffering. True teacups are rare and thus difficult to acquire.

Care of Munchkin Cats

Munchkins have the same care requirements as most other cats.

Grooming

You should brush your Munchkin weekly if it has short fur and every few days if its coat is long. Wipe your cat’s face every two or three days. It should rarely need a bath. If your cat becomes soiled, you can use a shampoo formulated for felines. Make sure to thoroughly dry your cat. Like other feline pets, you should clip your Munchkin’s nails every two weeks.

Feeding

A Munchkin requires 160 to 350 calories a day depending on its weight and age. Like all cats, it should eat a carnivorous diet consisting of meat and some fat. Commercial manufacturers add vitamins and minerals in the form of whole foods or synthetic compounds to meet minimal standards. Your veterinarian or a feline nutritionist can help you formulate a diet if you want to feed homemade meals. Most cats benefit from wet food.

Exercise and Training

Munchkins seem eager to learn and are easy to train. Daily training can provide mental enrichment in your cat’s life. Munchkins are active, but you should engage your cat a few times every day. Cats are programmed for short bursts of activity at a time, so keep your playtime short and sweet. Advise any children that your cat will be happiest with frequent but brief play and cuddling sessions. Toys and lures are excellent ways to encourage your cat to be active.

Munchkin Hybrid Craze

Since its debut, The Munchkin has exploded in popularity. Despite predictions to the contrary, the Munchkin Cat has proven to be more than a passing fad. Quite the opposite, Munchkins have given momentum to entire lines of short-legged or dwarf cats. Unlike Munchkins bred to outcrosses, Munchkin hybrids should look like short-legged versions of what the breeder aims to modify. A Bambino, for example, should look like a short-legged Sphynx.

Pixie Munchkin Kittens

Although it calls to mind the image of a tiny fairy-like cat, a Pixie Munchkin more often refers to a Munchkin x Pixie Bob cross. Bred to resemble bobcats, Pixiebobs do not have any wildcat DNA as legend would have you believe. More recently, fanciers breed them with Munchkins to get a wild-looking cat with short legs to go with the bobtail. A polydactyl (extra toes on the front paws) Pixie Munchkin is a bonus.

Other Deliberate Munchkin Crosses

• Dwelf (dwarf + elf) – very rare mix between Munchkin x American Curl x Devon Rex; short legs, curled ears, peach fuzz
• Skookum – Munchkin x La Perm; short legs and curly hair
• Genetta – Munchkin x Bengal x Savannah Cat; short legs and spotted fur
• Minskin – Munchkin x Sphynx x Devon Rex; short legs and sparse fur
• Minuet (also, Napoleon) – Munchkin x Persian
• Bambino – Munchkin x Sphynx; completely hairless
• Lambkin – Munchkin x Selkirk Rex; abundantly curly fur